Forms of grape in visual arts as a gastronomical element: A socio-cultural and historical study

Nutrition and art are two important interacting subjects since the first appearance of the humanbeing. The effects of these two subjects on civilisations and their role in formation of the societies are seen through the progress line of the mankind. At different periods of this progress, the explanandum of art works related to grape and their attributed meanings to grape have shown differences. The cultural stratas of these differences has undergone changes in every age. In the context of this change, in terms of Archaic Age, Medieval Age and New Age, it comes into question that the most important need of the humanbeing, the act of nutrition, shows different changes and developments in every age. Present study is composed of four chapters. Initial chapter is dedicated to the concept of gastronomy, and the story of transformation of the act of nutrition into the concept of gastronomy is tried to be explained. Second chapter is dedicated to grape and grape culture, and grape's relationship with culture and its place in mythological and religious beliefs are described. In the third chapter, by focusing on art and visual arts, the relationship between grape and art is examined over selected grape images. In the last chapter, the effects of art on gastronomy and vice versa are discussed by analysing the images concerning grape iconographically. Key words: Cuisine culture, gastronomy, grape, iconography, visual art